Textile treatment



1946- H. o. KAUFFMANN ET AL 2,391,905

' TEXTILE TREATMENT Filed Oct. 12, 1944 Patented Jan. 1', 1946 TEXTILETREATMENT Hans Kauffmann, Eggcrtsville, Edward S. Shanlr y, Kenmore, andRobert L. McEwen, Williamsville, N. Y., assignors to BuffaloElectro-Chemical Company, Inc., Tonawanda, N. Y.

Application October 12, 1944, Serial No. 558,340

5 Claims.

The present 'in'vention relates to thetreatment of textile goods andmore particularly to the treatment of such goods with alkaline solutionsat low liquor ratio in J chutes for the purpose of preparing orbleaching the same. This is a continuation in part of Serial No. 486,674filed May lating, caustic alkali for periods of from 6 to 10 hours attemperatures at the boiling point of water, or even at more elevatedtemperatures in those cases where the kier boiling is performed underpressure. This alkaline treatment softens I and loosens the waxyincrustations of the cotton fiber, and loosens and dissolves the motes.Goods so treated are more amenable to bleaching and dyeing than goodsthat have not been treated with alkali.

It is well understood in the art that the foreign matters loosened,dissolved and removed from the textile goods, by the alkaline solution,remain in the solution and circulate over and through the goods as thesolution is circulated. A disadvantage of kier boiling operationsresides in the possibility that the solution may form channels throughthe goods with the production of unevenness in the goods and,furthermore, sedimentation of foreign matter may occur upon the goods,producing spots and areas loaded with waxy or other foreign materialinitially removed by the action of the alkali.

Textile goods have also been treated with alkaline solutions byimpregnating or padding the goods with. the alkaline solution insuflicient quantities merely to dampen the goods and thereaftereffecting action of the alkaline solution on the goods by subjecting thepadded goods to the action of heat.

This heating treatment is generally performed in equipment of aparticular type, and for continuous processing so-called J chutes areemployed.

As in the kier boiling, the waxes, motes and other foreign material areloosened, dissolved or changed to a condition where the usual washingoperations eliminate these undesirable materials from the goods.However, due to the relatively high concentration of the caustic alkali,sodium silicate and other chemicals employed in low liquor ratiobleaching and the presence in the water normally employed of dissolvedsalts, generally materials inducing hardness, as well as inorganicmaterials present in the goods, considerable amounts of insolublematerials at times precipitate from the treating solution. Thesematerials being insoluble and being of the nature of oxides, hydroxides,and silicates of metals, produce deposits which may appear either asfilms on the goods or as film-forming materials depositing on theinnersurfaces of the treating J chute. Under long continued use there is atendency for these insoluble and incrusting materials to build up whatmight be called an abrasive surface on the inner walls and surfaces ofcontact between the treating J and the goods passing therethrough as thecoeificient of friction between textile goods and such deposits isgreater than between the goods and the wall of the chute which isgenerally of polished metal.

Where passage of the goods through the J, as in the instant invention,is induced by gravity, little or no damage to the goods is effected instraight, relatively vertical Js. However, where it is desired toprovide the J chute adjacent the discharge end, as in the instantinvention, with a curved portion which retards the free passage of goodsthrough the J, the weight of the superimposed goods in the verticalportion of the J creates some friction in moving the bulk of the goodsthrough the lower curved portion thereof. Where this frictional actionis higher than a predetermined amount, the goods do not pass smoothlythrough the curved portion, as is the case in a clean J chute, but tendto tangle, and difliculties are encountered in removing the goods inrope form from the discharge angle of the J.

Another disadvantage of treating methods wherein goods containing smallamounts of highly concentrated alkaline solutions are heated, is thatsome surface drying is produced on the goods with the formation ofincrustations on the goods.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of treatinggoods with alkaline solutions which avoids the disadvantages of theprior methods.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for heattreating alkali impregnated textile good whereby the formation ofincrustations is substantially eliminated.

The present invention also provides a method of treating textile goodswith alkali by heating the same and subjecting the heated goods to apreliminary wash to reduce caustic content of the goods prior to thefinal wash.

It is the ultimate object of the invention to 5 provide a method for theuninterrupted continuous treatment of goods in those treatments whenpadded goods are heated in confined heat- ;ing or steeping J chutes andmove therethrough in bulk. by the action of gravity.

The method of operation of the invention Qpossesses the advantage thatgoods may be heated in a J box or chute and removed therefrom withsubstantially no danger oi producing tinuously passing goods either inrope form, in

open width, or in chains, through the alkaline treating solution,'atsuch a rate as will permit a saturation of the goods with alkalinesolution. This rate will, of course, depend upon the form in which thegoods are passed through the solution, whether in rope form or in. openwidth.

and upon the previous history and character of the goods. The goods,after saturation with the alkaline solution, are passed to aconventional device which eliminates the excess of the solution carriedby the goods, yet leaves the goods padded or impregnated and dampenedwith the alkaline solution. In general, it will be found advantageous toemploy squeezer rolls for this purpose and to discharge the goods fromthe rolls in a dampened condition so that they carry from about 50 to150 pounds by weight of the treating solution per hundred pounds of dryweight of the goods. In some instances, it may be found advantageous toemploy vacuum extraction for this purpose.

The dampened or padded goods, thus carrying 50% to 150% of alkalinetreating solution, are then passed at any desired operating speed, forinstance, 150 yards per minute, to a J chute, and are piled and packedtherein by the employment of conventional piling equipment.

The goods are preferably impregnated with the alkaline solution at roomtemperature, that is to say. temperatures up to about 125 F. althoughwhen special effects are to be obtained, and the character of thegoods'permits, they may be impregnated at temperatures higher than 125F., particularly in those instances where such treating temperatures donot adversely afiect the activity of the solution or produce undesirablechanges in the goods or in the active ingredient of the solution, or thegoods after impregnation may be heated prior to piling.

In general, the padded goods are passed in unheated condition to the Jchute although, under special circumstances, they may be heated prior tothe passage into the J chute. In the preferred method of operation, thegoods after being packed in the J chute are permitted to movetherethrough by reason of the action of gravity upon the pile or bulk ofgoods and the action of the alkaline solution upon the goods is broughtto completion by adding steam to the bulk of the goods in the J chute.In general, steam is added adjacent the feed end of the J chute, all asmore fully described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,353,615issued July 11, 1,944, The

convective action of the steam raises the temperature of the goods to atemperature in the neighborhood of 212 F. and the temperature throughoutthe mass of goods is maintained relativel constant.

In accordance with the present invention, a solution is introduced intothe lower portion of the J chute. This solution penetrates, enoases andsurrounds the goods and dilutes the more concentrated solution adheringto the heated goods. At the same time, the oods are subiected to apreliminary washing action thereby reducing the alkali concentration ofthe solution. The washing solution also buoys up the goods and reducesthe frictional action present by reason of passage of the total bulk ofgoods through the curved portion of the J. At the same time the washingsolution tends to prevent excess deposition of incrusting materials uponthe inner contact surface of the J chute and at the same time, ineffect, acts as a lubricant between the goods and the J chute wall. Byreason both of'the buoying action and the lubricating action of thewashing solution, the bulk of goods travels through the curved portionof the J in its regular and predetermined packed condition, therebyeliminating the possibility of snarling and tangling encountered inchutes wherein washing solutions are not so employed. At the same time,the formation of undesirable incrustations upon the goods is eliminateddue to the fact that incrustation forming matter is held in solution orsuspension and drying in is avoided.

The solution surrounding and penetrating the goods permits the bulk ofgoods to pass freely through the bottom curved portion of the J chutetowards the outlet, up to the line designated on the drawing at 3-3. Itis evident, therefore, that the goods can now be easily removed from thebulk at high speed as the remain in the same position with the exceptionthat the bulk has been reversed about 180.

The alkaline solution employed for treatment of the goods may containcaustic soda from 1 to 10%. Other alkaline solutions, such as solutionsof soda ash, potash, borax, sodium silicate, trisodium phosphate, aswell as other phosphates, may be used in lieu of, or as additions to thecaustic soda. It will also be understood that the alkaline solution maycontain other ingredients having a beneficial action upon the goods as,for instance, bleaching agents such as the peroxides, hydrogen peroxide,alkali metal peroxides, alkaline earth metal peroxides, the perborates,percarbonates and the like, all classed herein as peroxides. Thepreferred solution added to the lower part of the J box is water,although aqueous solutions of soaps or other detergent agents may beadded to the solution to obtain any desired beneficial effect broughtabout therewith.

Referring to the drawing, wherein there is iilustrated a form ofapparatus suitable for carrying out the method of the present invention,a rope of goods I0 is passed into an alkaline solution contained in tankII and then through squeezer rolls I! which are set to eliminate theexcess of the alkaline solution from the goods but to maintain from 50to of the solution in the goods, based on the dry weight of goods. RopeI0 is then passed through tension rolls I! over a conventional piler l4and into the feed end It of J chute I'i.

Piler I4 piles the goods uniformly in chute l1, filling the same fromside to side with a bulk of goods, which bulk moves downwardly throughthe chute as the goods are withdrawn at discharge end It of the J chute.The goods, de-

pending upon theirweight and the type of treat the neighborhood of 212F. and generally to av temperature somewhat above 212 F.

As the goods enter the chute in the unheated condition and are packedtightl therein filling.

the cross-sectional area of the chute, they tend to form a seal at thetop of the chute preventing exit of convective steam. Furthermore, asthe goods tend to move downwardly in the chute, the effective action ofthe'hea'ting fluid is relatively more effective in the direction ofmotion of the oods so that the alkaline solution acts under theinfluence of steam.

A fluid inlet 22 is provided adjacent the lower curved portion 23 of Jchute l1 and encasing fluid is admitted therethrough to the chute tocover and surround the goods passing through portion 28 whereby thegoods are washed, the incrustations removed, and the goods buoyed up andlubricated. In general, water will serve the purpose, which water may beeither hot or cold and may-contain, if desired, soaps or other detergentmaterials which tend to produce a preliminary washing action of thegoods and to decrease the quantity of alkali on the goods so that whenthe rope is discharged from the chute, oxycellulose formation issubstantially eliminated. Further more, the liquid, as shown at 25,permits free passage of the bulk of cloth III, as originally packed,through the lower curved portion 23 of the J chute l'l, allowing removalof the rope in from the end I 8 of the J chute l1 without tangles,snarls, and at a high speed and uniform rate.

Solution may be admitted at 22 or at any convenient position at or nearthe curved portion 23 of the J chute. The solution may be withdrawn fromthe outlet 26 or from an outlet at the lowest part of the J chute at arate necessary to maintain a desired liquid level.

It is to be understood that our invention is not limited to the exacttype of J chute described heretofore and illustrated in the attacheddrawing except as it is equipped with a curved discharge portion. Themethod of heating, method of impregnating and piling, and'the type andstate of goods, may be different and any variation therefore is not tobe construed as outside the scope of this invention.

The instant invention thus provides an im-. proved method forcontinuously treating goods with alkaline solutions in J chutes having acurved discharge portion for retarding the free passage of the goodsthrough the chute.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of treating textile goods which comprises passing thegoods impregnated with an alkaline solution into one end of an enclosingJ chute to form a bulk of packed goods in said chute, said chute beinprovided with a curved discharge portion for retarding free passage ofgoods therethrough, heating the goods to obtain the desired action ofthe alkaline solution upon the goods, maintaining an enclosing liquii inthe curved portion of the chute and the g ds still in bulk into andthrough the enclosing liquid whereby the goods are buoyed up,preliminarily washed and protected from the action of air.

2. The method of treating textile goods which comprises passing thegoods impregnated with an alkaline solution into one end of an enclosingJ chute to form a bulk of packed goods in said chute, said chute beingprovided with a curved discharge portion for retarding free passage ofgoods therethrough, subjecting the bulk. of goods to the action of steamto perfect the action of the alkaline solution upon the goods,maintaining an enclosing liquid in the curved portion of the chute andpassing the goods still in bulk into and through the enclosing liquidwhereby th goods are buoyed up. preliminarily washed and protected fromthe action of air.

3. The method of treating textile goods which comprises passing thegoods impregnated with an alkaline solution into one end of an enclosingJ chute to form a bulk of packed goods in said chute, said chute beingprovided with a curved discharge portion for retarding free passage ofgoods therethrough, subjecting the bulk of goods to the action of steamto perfect the action of the alkaline solution upon the goods,maintaining wash water in the curved portion of the chute and passingthe goods still in bulk into said wash water whereby the goods arebuoyed up, preliminarily washed and protected from the action of air.

4. The method of treating textile goods which comprises passing thegoods impregnated with an alkaline solution into one end of an enclosingJ chute to form a bulk of packed goods in said chute, said chute beingprovided with a curved discharge portion for retarding free pas-' sag ofgoods therethrough, subjecting the bulk of goods to the action of steamto perfect the action of the alkaline solution upon the goods,maintaining wasir water in the curved portion of the chute and passingthe goods still in bulk into said wash water and continuously addingfresh wash water to said enclosing solution as the goods are withdrawntherefrom to enclose the goods entering said zone, to decrease theamount of alkali in the goods, to buoy up the goods and to protect themfrom the action of air.

5. The steps in the treatment of goods padded with an alkaline solutionwhich comprise: heating the goods, packing the goods into a steeping Jchute to form a bulk of goods therein, said chute being provided with acurved discharge portion to retard free passage of goods therethrough,passing the bulk of heated goods downwardly by gravity in said chutewherein they are maintained in the heated condition into an enclosingwashing solution in the curved portion of the chute and continuouslywithdrawing the goods in extended form from the washing solution atsubstantially the same rate at which fresh goods are fed to th bulkwhile adding fresh solution to the discharge portion of said chute toenclose the goods entering therein, to decrease the amount. of alkali inthe goods, to buoy up the goods and to protect them from the action ofair. i

HANS 0. KAUFFMANN. EDWARD S. SHANLEY. ROBERT L. McEWEN.

